The invention relates to a semiconductor device system and to a method for modifying a semiconductor device.
Semiconductor devices, e.g., corresponding, integrated (analog or digital) computing circuits, semiconductor memory devices such as functional memory devices (PLAs, PALs, etc.) and table memory devices (e.g., ROMs or RAMs, in particular SRAMs and DRAMs), etc. are adapted to be incorporated in a corresponding package, e.g., a plug or surface-mountable package, e.g., a BGA (Ball Grid Array) package, etc. after manufacturing.
In so doing, connections, e.g., pads, provided at the semiconductor device are, by using bonding wires, connected with connections—pins—provided at the semiconductor package.
Contrary to this, so called “flip” semiconductor devices or “flip chips” are mounted directly—without separate bonding wires.
In the case of flip chips one can, for instance, differentiate between FCIP—(Flip Chip in Package) and FCOB (Flip Chip on Board) devices.
FCOB devices are devices without package in which corresponding device connections are directly connected with corresponding connections provided at a circuit board.
Contrary to this, in the case of FCIP devices, corresponding connections provided at the device are (directly, without bonding wire) connected with corresponding connections of a FCIP device package.
The name “flip chip” is derived from the fact that, with this construction, a corresponding device is mounted with its functional side upside down on the circuit board/in the device package, etc.
The connection between the device connections—e.g., corresponding “bumps” provided at the device, or corresponding contact faces, etc.—and the connections at the circuit board/the device package, etc. may, for instance, be provided by appropriate reflow soldering and/or appropriate gluing processes.
In the case of reflow soldering, solder is applied on the device connections. Subsequently, the device can be fixed with glue, and then the solder can be melted by heating.
By using the flip chip construction, it is possible to achieve relatively high package densities.
In a single device package—instead of one single semiconductor device—a plurality of, e.g., two or three devices, may alternatively also be arranged. Thus, it is possible to (even further) increase the package density.
In the case of “micro flip chip” devices, for instance, a corresponding first semiconductor device—having, for instance, relatively small dimensions—(and possibly one or a plurality of further semiconductor devices) are mounted with the functional side upside down on a second semiconductor device—having, for instance, larger dimensions than the first semiconductor device.
In so doing, connections (e.g., corresponding bumps and/or contact faces) provided at the first semiconductor device are directly—without bonding wire—connected with corresponding connections of the second semiconductor device.
The first and second semiconductor devices may be jointly mounted in a plug or surface-mountable package, e.g., a BGA (Ball Grid Array) package, etc.
Connections (pads) provided at the second semiconductor device may, by using bonding wires, be connected with connections (pins) provided at the device package, so that corresponding signals can be input in the second semiconductor device or can be output from the second semiconductor device, respectively, via the pins.
For the input or output of signals in or from the first semiconductor device—that is mounted upside down on the second semiconductor device—, one or a plurality of further, additional pads may be provided at the second semiconductor device.
The additional pads may, via corresponding lines provided in the second semiconductor device, be connected with the connections of the second semiconductor device which are—without bonding wire—connected with the above-mentioned bumps/contact faces of the first semiconductor device.
The additional pads of the second semiconductor device may, by using bonding wires, be connected with pins provided at the device package, so that corresponding signals can—via the additional pads, the lines provided in the second semiconductor device, and the bumps/contact faces of the first semiconductor device connected therewith—be transmitted to the first semiconductor device (or vice versa signals output by the first semiconductor device can—via the lines that are connected with corresponding bumps/contact faces of the first semiconductor device and that are provided in the second semiconductor device—be transmitted to the additional pads, and from there to the pins of the device package).
However, the additional pads provided at the second semiconductor device absorb a relatively large chip space.
With conventional semiconductor devices—e.g., corresponding devices incorporated in a plug or surface-mountable package, e.g., a BGA (Ball Grid Array) package, etc.—it is i.e. a disadvantage that the corresponding semiconductor device has to be completely redesigned in the case of new or modified and/or supplemented demands posed to a semiconductor device (and possibly also with an initially faulty design).
This is relatively time-consuming and entails relatively high costs.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.